It's official: Mariners' Jesus Montero suspended 50 games for PEDs

Major League baseball has announced that 12 players have been suspended for 50 games for their connection to connection to Biogenesis - a "clinic" run by Anthony Bosch that provided performance enhancing drugs – and it includes the Mariners' Jesus Montero.

The Mariners released this statement:

"The Seattle Mariners are disappointed that Jesus Montero has violated the terms of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Our organization fully supports the Program and its efforts to eliminate performance-enhancing substances from our game.

The list of suspended players includes All-Stars Nelson Cruz of Texas, Jhonny Peralta of Detroit and Everth Cabrera of San Diego are among the 12 who accepted penalties Monday.

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Montero told staffers for the Tacoma Rainiers that he won't be making the upcoming road trip with them on Wednesday and won't be with the team. According to sources, because he's on the 40-man roster, the remaining Mariners major leagues games this season will count toward Montero's suspension despite the fact he's with the Rainiers.

It's fitting end to a lost season for the once touted prospect.

Montero was handed the starting catcher job in spring training and proceeded to lose it less than two weeks into the season. After displaying an inconsistent approach at the plate and continually making mistakes behind it, he was sent down to Triple A Tacoma on May 22. The Mariners decided to have Montero work largely at first base and designated hitter in order to re-find his swing and develop a hitting approach. However, that plan was sidetracked when he suffered a torn meniscus while he was catching. It required surgery and he missed just over four weeks.

Montero was named in the original report by the Miami New Times. And he's always been considered a part of the group of suspected PED users.

“For me, I just want to focus on baseball. I just want to be here and pay attention to my team and be ready,” he said at the time. “They are going to handle everything. I didn’t have anything to do with that. I know I didn’t do anything wrong.”

There was speculation that Montero’s younger brother, who is also named Jesus and is a catcher with the Cardinals, might be the name on the document.

Montero dismissed that notion: “We don’t have nothing to do with that clinic,” he said. “Nothing.”

About Bob Dutton

Bob Dutton joined The News Tribune in 2013 after more than 25 years at the Kansas City Star, including the last 13 covering baseball and the Royals. He was the president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America in 2008 and serves on the committee that nominates players to the Hall of Fame.